Seized Flex Disk / Guibo Bolts!!

[illmatik]

Hey Guys. My flex disk has been bad for a while, the vibrations steadily got worse until the car wasn't driveable. I put her down last week and the guibo came in today... I thought it would be a nice straightforward job but I was wrong.

The 3 bolts that go through the flange are completely seized. I can not for the life of me break either one of them. I've tried a breaker bar, impact wrench.... I've soaked them in PB Blaster and heated them with a torch, set my god damn guibo on fire lol!

They're stuck! I was able to break the other 3 bolts, two of them came out but one of them is stuck. So basically I could only get two bolts out... 4 of them are stuck.

I've ran out of ideas... the only thing I can think of is an orbital saw and hacking the shit out of the guibo and the 4 bolts.

[UnderCoverGuy11]

Desperate times call for desperate measures, if you couldn't get them off with a breaker/impact/torch...hack away!

[motion]

Maybe try grinding one flat on the nut and split it or sawzall through the middle of the guibo and cut the bolt in two. Tight area to be working in. Good luck

[02 330xi 10 128]

When I did it with the indie we had to grind down the edges because of corrosion and etc. We put a long open breaker bar 18mm iirc and impact on the other end with a swivel. After some pb blaster and fun for a minute they broke loose.

[scooper]

I would put the other 3 nuts which you just took off back on there. Then try removing the 3 nuts that were stuck before. Use an extra long breaker bar (handle of a floor jack works well). As I recall you can jam a combo wrench up there to get the added leverage you need. Good luck and report back.

[jmo69]

I've never had a torch fail me, it needs to get hot very fast and then break it loose before it cools. Oxy-acetylene is the best, get the nut red hot before the bolt and it will come right off.

[illmatik]

Thank you all for the suggestions.

It's been soaking in PB blaster all night long... I'm gonna go home after work and give it another go.

I'll probably spray it down with some more PB... let it sit for a minute and then heat it up as much as I can and try again with the breaker.

Fingers crossed... I'd rather not have to start hacking shit -_-

[jmo69]

You do what you have to, they recommend new bolts and nuts anyway, I re-used mine with a drop of loc-tite.

[illmatik]

Well, fuck me, guys.

Can't get any of the bolts to even flinch, and the heads are beginning to get rounded off.

I've torched the hell out of them but the problem is the guibo bursts into flames so I can only torch it so much. I've soaked both ends with PB blaster numerous times.

Basically the 3 bolts that attach the flange to the guibo are completely seized. They don't turn freely. The fourth bolt, I've gotten the nut off but its still seized to the guibo. It does turn freely but I can't get it out... I spent an hour prying on it.

Does it look like I'm really gonna have to cut through 4 bolts? This'll take me 2 hours :(

[Kody]

Well, fuck me, guys.

Can't get any of the bolts to even flinch, and the heads are beginning to get rounded off.

I've torched the hell out of them but the problem is the guibo bursts into flames so I can only torch it so much. I've soaked both ends with PB blaster numerous times.

Basically the 3 bolts that attach the flange to the guibo are completely seized. They don't turn freely. The fourth bolt, I've gotten the nut off but its still seized to the guibo. It does turn freely but I can't get it out... I spent an hour prying on it.

Does it look like I'm really gonna have to cut through 4 bolts? This'll take me 2 hours :(

Try a saw all through the guibo

[illmatik]

Try a saw all through the guibo
Yes sir. Got the sawzall prepped with some fresh blades. I'm gonna push it off another day because I'm all pissed off and I don't wanna get under that car again tonight. Plus I need to swing by the dealership tomorrow and get some bolts anyways -_-

[silvabmdub]

Make sure you put grease on the the bolts so this doesn't happen again.

[motion]

Have you try tightening them? Are the threads on the bplt ends clean? I've had tight ones tight ones, but not that many at on time. Sounds like a real character builder. Good idea to take a break then start fresh. Good luck

[lasmariaspr]

My advice is get the locking nuts, with the correct torque youll be fine, I mention this because in the Bentley manual its what it says also my mechanic used the same bolts, and all six came out, they are cheap, avoid a headache. Good luck getting those out.

[scooper]

OP did you try what I suggested? Put the other 3 bolts back on tight then try to loosen the 3 that were stuck. Then try the rest of the methods if the breaker bar can't get them loose.

[illmatik]

OP did you try what I suggested? Put the other 3 bolts back on tight then try to loosen the 3 that were stuck. Then try the rest of the methods if the breaker bar can't get them loose.

I already got to cuttin through the guibo and a bolt yesterday, I'm just gonna see it through. I believe your suggestion may actually work though... I think there's way too much pressure on the three bolts. I did try getting to them first before I got the other two out though...

Anyways, I just called the stealership, they want $10 for each bolt! $60 for a handful of bolts???

[lasmariaspr]

Maybe you should try some other place, for another price, I bet you could get them at a hardware store, like I did.

[Kody]

Anyways, I just called the stealership, they want $10 for each bolt! $60 for a handful of bolts???

www.pelicanparts.com

[scooper]

new ones aren't cheap. My old nuts and bolts were actually still pretty good. PM me if you're interested. Glad you got all of them off!

[motion]

Each bolt is in it own world. The bolt passes through the one flange, through a metal sleeve, then through the other flange, when tightened it becomes one unit the rubber surounds the 6 metal sleeves. It's good practice to change the centering sleeve on the drive shaft flange(especially since you've applied a torch in this area). I would recommend changing the center bearing and mount while your going through the effort. Good luck

[illmatik]

Well guys. Spent about 3 hours with the sawzall yesterday. Between the metal sleeves in the guibo, these super thick bolts and the cramped spacing and bad angle I get down there, it's really really hard to cut through these damn bolts. Got through two bolts before my cordless sawzall completely conked out. Got through 1.5 bolts before my corded sawzall conked out as well.

I've got half a bolt left and I ran out of sawzalls, lmao. I'm hoping I can finish the job with the orbital later today.

But dear lord. Whoever said this would be a character builder was correct...after I'm done with this, all these other jobs that I've been holding off on doing will seem like a walk in the park. I certainly got my work cut out for me on this job.

[phishy]

sorry for ancient thread revival, but has anyone else found a solution to this besides a sawzall? or is that the only way to go

[jmo69]

If you don't have an impact and an oxy-acetylene torch a sawzall is an alternative.

[scooper]

18mm flatcombo wrench on one side 18mm socket on other end. Turn DS to access nuts. If u round the nuts u have the wrong size. Too large

[E36328Coupe]

Take 1 side off a nut, with a grinder, until you can just see the bolt thread zig zag, then they'll come off

Also, cleaning the exposed thread up first is a good idea, it stops bolts undoing a turn or two then shearing